Government
About A.D. 600, a Yamato prince named Shotoku took over Japan. He wanted to grow a stronger government. He created the first constitution. He copied a lot of Chinese ways. He sent officials to China to study there. They came back with many ideas that Prince Shotoku decided to use. He built the Buddhist temple of Horyuji, the oldest surviving wooden building in the world. With all of his reforms, he helped create Japan's first strong central government. The emperors built the city Nara, which was the center of Japan's government and religion in Japan. Japan did not use examinations to hire officials. Instead, they gave jobs to nobles from powerful families. The emperor's power came from his land and its crops. Japan also carried out a census. It counted all the people in the country and helped the emperor know who owes him taxes in rice or silk. Men counted in the census also had to serve in the army. As Buddhism spreads to Japan, they have problems with the government. After a short war, the government decided to leave them alone. Later on the government weakens and war breaks out. They would be protected by the samurai and ruled by shoguns and daimyo.